Militant BMA tells GPs to deny care to prostate cancer and heart patients until NHS caves into their funding demands

The British Medical Association has told GPs to refuse care to some prostate cancer and heart patients until the NHS agrees to its demands for more funding.

Charities have called for urgent action to ensure ‘no patient is confused, delayed or left out in the cold’, accusing the doctors’ union of putting men at risk of harm to line its members’ pockets.

The BMA is calling on GPs to take part in various forms of class action to protest the 2026/27 GP contract.

As part of the next round, he wants ORs to reject new requests for hospitals to delegate prescribing and monitoring responsibilities to patients, unless there is already regulation in place.

Examples of this could include prescribing special medications for the immune system, heart and lungs, or to treat ongoing prostate cancer or osteoporosis, the BMA said.

However, he claims that these regulations can sometimes be “insufficient” and “unsafe” and says that arrangements should be made to cover the costs and workload.

David James, director of patient projects and influencer at the charity Prostate Cancer Research, said: ‘Men with prostate cancer should not be put at risk because of disputes over NHS funding or responsibilities.

‘We recognize that GPs are under huge pressure and shared care arrangements must be safe, appropriately funded and clinically appropriate.

David James (pictured) is the director of patient projects and an influencer at the charity Prostate Cancer Research.

‘However, patients receiving prostate cancer treatment need to be sure that their prescribing, monitoring and follow-up will not be interrupted.

‘The government, NHS England, commissioners and the BMA urgently need to work together to solve this problem and make sure no patient is confused, delayed or left out in the cold.’

Chairman of the BMA’s UK GP committee, Dr. Katie Bramall said: ‘This next phase of collective action is about GPs rejecting the often unsafe and unfunded transfer of additional work from hospitals to practices beyond their existing contractual arrangements with the NHS.

‘In the interest of safe patient care and keeping local GP practices open and viable, practices will therefore refuse new shared care requests if resources are inappropriate.’

It comes after the Government laid out its aim to bring care closer to home as part of its 10-year flagship health plan for England.

One of the main pillars of the plan is to move care from the hospital to the community.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘GPs play a crucial role in the NHS and we are committed to working with the BMA to resolve outstanding issues and prevent incidents from escalating.

‘We expect all NHS care providers to act in the best interests of patients, use public funds responsibly and work in line with established clinical guidance and local prescribing regulations.

‘We do not expect any significant impact on patient services and patients should continue to contact their doctor as usual.’